


Flicker

by beautyinstarlight



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Friends With Benefits, Good Theo Raeken, M/M, Pining, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-20
Updated: 2017-12-20
Packaged: 2019-02-17 07:29:27
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,124
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13072083
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/beautyinstarlight/pseuds/beautyinstarlight
Summary: Liam can’t help but imagine this is different, that by the end of the night, they’ll be back to their bed, lips brushing against skin, touches soft with the promise of more, I love yous and a promise of forever.





	Flicker

**Author's Note:**

> Hi guys! Happy Christmas/Happy Hanukkah/Happy Kwanza or any other holiday you may celebrate this time of year. Think of this as an early/late present if you will. This is loosely based on Niall Horan's song, Flicker. 
> 
> As always, I must give credit to my dear friend [ Tabby ](http://archiveofourown.org/users/tabbytabbytabby), who you should check out by clicking her name if you haven't read anything by her yet. She is amazing and I love her to bits.
> 
> Anyway. This is my first Thiam fic, so I do hope you enjoy! Kudos/Comment appreciated!
> 
> Also, should note: use of the f-bomb it terms of a sexual relationship.

* * *

 

 

          Liam looks over the group gathered in the McCall-Argent backyard from his spot in the corner. Everyone has gathered for the first time in nearly a year to witness Melissa and Chris get married. The reception is in full swing, Scott sitting with his mother and Chirs, back to the group answering Chris’ questions about his school work. Mason, Corey, Lydia, and Malia are sitting at a table, conversing quietly about her time in Paris. There are several of Melissa’s coworkers and Chris’ new friends on the dancefloor. He spots Theo at another table away from the most of the activity, sitting with Derek and Stiles, conversation too low to make out what they are saying.

 

          He takes a sip of his punch, the taste too strong for his sense, the acid from the lemon burning his tongue. He puts it down on the table closest to him and moves to the buffet table. He is there for less than a minute before Lydia is on him, giving him a hug and a kiss on the cheek. 

 

          “I’ve not seen you today, usually you go wherever Theo is,” she says, brushing a stray lock from his forehead, “Are you okay?” It isn’t hard to hear the concern in her voice, nor to see it in her eyes, so he looks away quickly, plating food.

 

          “Yeah,” he replies, voice quiet but sharp. She tsks, taking his plate from him and plating him food. She leads him to an unoccupied table, far enough away a quiet conversation shouldn’t be overheard, even with supernatural hearing. She pushes him into a seat and gracefully falls into the chair beside him, “I don’t have supernatural senses like you dear, but even I know that was a lie. Tell me what’s wrong.”

 

          Liam is quiet for a moment, taking a bite of a tea sandwich just to give him something to do. He avoids looking at her until she finally takes him plate away from him. When he glances over, she has the look of a woman not to be messed with and he sighs, “I don’t know what’s wrong. I just…”

 

          Liam trails off, looking over to Theo where he sits deep in a conversation with Derek. Lydia follows his gaze and smiles soft and sweet, “He seems to be thriving, with his change.”

 

          Liam pulls his plate back to him before Lydia has a chance to move it further away and begins munching on another tea sandwich. He continues to watch Theo, even when Lydia turns expectantly back to him. Finally, after his fourth sandwich, he cracks, pushing the plate away.

 

          “We fight all the time and over the stupidest things too. Now it feels like since there isn’t a big bad every week, we have nothing in common, and it sucks because when we fight, we know exactly what to say to hurt each other.”

 

          Lydia looks back at Theo, “Love is rarely easy Liam. Trust me. I’ve loved Jackson, Stiles, and Parrish. I’m finally happy right now, being single but I wouldn’t be the same person I was if I hadn’t loved them. But when I look at you and Theo, there is a difference there that you never had with Hayden. You just have to decide, is it worth it to hold on to?”

 

          Liam watches Lydia leave and move over to where Parrish is seated. With her words still fresh in his mind, he turns back to his plate to think. Is there anyway Liam can keep doing this; the back and forth with Theo, grasping at straws when it feels like the beginning of the end. Is it worth it to keep fighting when every fight is worse than the last. Liam cannot deny Theo has changed; from getting his GED to taking over Scott’s position with Deaton. Theo is making the best out of his situation.

 

          And it’s hard, harder than Liam ever thought it would be. After that moment in the hospital, watching as Theo took Gabe’s pain before he died something changed for Liam. Something shifted for them. It wasn’t long after everything had calmed down that Liam sought Theo out, finding him in a run down motel and bringing him home to stay with him. Not long after that came the start of their relationship; neither too keen on talking about what they were, just losing themselves in a rush of quick, messy fucks. The magic electricity a tangible force between them, finding them wrapped in each others arms and it was a welcome.

 

          Now their quick fucks are the product of biting words and heated glances that lead into rough thrusts and the sharp sting of claws biting skin and when they are finished, laying as far away as they can, back to the other, and all Liam wants to do is turn over and gather Theo in his arms like before, but the tension is a wedge between them that is only broken in the morning, when they turn in the night. It brings a fullness to his heart, when he wakes up and Theo is beside him, breathing even and deep, his head resting on Liam chest. Liam can’t help but imagine this is different, that by the end of the night, they’ll be back to their bed, lips brushing against skin, touches soft with the promise of more, I love yous and a promise of forever.

 

          Liam is brought out of his thoughts by a presence, one he would know in any room, and looks up to find Theo looking at him thoughtfully. Liam fidgets under his stare, leaning back in his chair, “Yeah?”

 

          “You were over here by yourself,” Theo’s voice is soft and low, quiet enough to give them a sense of privacy, “I wanted to see if you were okay.”

 

          Liam looks away, refuses to look at Theo, unable to stand the look in his eyes, “Why do you care?”

 

          Once the words are out of his mouth, Liam immediately regrets his tone, can feel the shift in Theo’s mood as if it were a change in the direction the wind is blowing. He still doesn’t dare look at Theo when the man speaks.

 

          “I don’t know why, Liam,” his voice is different now, still equally as quiet as before, but there is something there that Liam hasn’t ever heard, “I just did.”

 

          “Stay,” Theo is moving to leave but the words are out of his mouth before Liam knows what he’s doing. He catches Theo’s gaze, as he takes a deep breath, trying to swallow, but his mouth is suddenly dry, “Please, stay. Don’t go.”

 

          Theo nods, once and takes his seat again, taking Liam’s hand, “I’m here, not going anywhere.”


End file.
